Casket and burial vault combined



M y 16, 1950 1. v. WESTENHAVER 2,508,319

CASKET AND BURIAL VAULT COMBINED Filed Feb. 17, 1948 l2 l7 l5 l4 1 l I T l 0 Q a 7 4 IO 5 7 Fig. 4.

Ira V. Weslenhaver /6 INVENTOR.

l7 l5 l2 9 9 I v BY 9 WW 5m Patented May 16, 1950 UNITED STATES CASKET AND BURIAL VAULT COMBINED- Ira V. Westenhaver, Detroit, ppligation February 17, 1948, gerialNe. 8,836

((51. gag- 35 2- Cla s.

The present invention relates to a novel and improved structural assemblage characterized by a casket and a complemental and enclosing vault therefor.

One object of the invention is to provide a combination casket and vault in which appropriate plastic compositions are employed, whereby to provide an overall structure which is not only simple, strong and durable, but is comparatively tures in this field of endeavor.

More specifically, novelty is predicated upon a simple and practical base frame which effectively seats and supports the coacting casket and which also provides a satisfactory foundation for the vault which surrounds and encloses the casket.

Further, in carrying out the principles of the invention, a base frame is provided which has a supporting flange for the casket, a supporting ledge for the rim of the vault, suitable carrying handles, and apertures for drainage and air venting should one desire to elevate the casket from the crypt at some date subsequent to the burial.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description of the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the vault and casket assembly constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the foundational or base frame.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a transverse or vertical cross section on the line 44 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing, and with reference to the principal parts of the structure, the base frame is denoted by the numeral 5, the vault by the numeral 6, and the coffin or casket by the numeral 1. All parts are constructed from plastic of a texture and grade which has been found to be suitable for my intended purposes. The base 5 comprises a substantially rectangular frame 8 having appropriately arranged 1 and attached handles 9, venting and water circulating ports or apertures i ii, and a horizontal inturned flange l I. The flange, in practice, will be approximately one inch wide and it joins with the upper edge portion of the frame in providing a satisfactory ledge 12 for effectively and firmly seating the vertical wall portion l3 of said vault 6. As best shown in Figure 2, the inner perimeter or marginal edge of the flange II is slightly concaved, as at l4, to provide an effective casket basing seat.

Referring now to the casket, it will be seen that the body portion is in the form of the customary rectangular box and includes a flat bottom [5 and upstanding vertical side and end walls IS. The walls It and It at their junctural portions are rounded and the corner portions, formed by said walls, are also rounded, as at [1. These rounded portions ll provide convex seating surfaces which firmly and eifectively rest in seal-proof fashion on the companion or complemental concaved seating surfaces I4 of the flange II. This intimate association and cooperation of parts provides a ways and means whereby the casket may be conveniently located and then firmly situated on the flange ll, whereby to insure properly associated relationship between the frame and the casket I and insures easy and satisfactory fitting of the dome-like vault over and around the coactin portions of the casket. In actual practice, the several parts 5, 6 and I may be separate, or the frame 5 may be welded or otherwise integrated with the casket. Then, the lid or cover i8 for the casket may be separate and provided with a marginal flange l9 to rest on the wall l6 and a lip portion 20 to telescope effectively into the interior of the casket body. Here again the cover or lid l8 may be sealed before the structure is lowered into the grave. By the same token, the rim or wall portion [3 of the vault may likewise be seated on the ledge forming flange l2 and then sealed.

Since burial procedures and funerals are handled according to differing requirements of undertakers, burial directors and cemetery authorities, it is believed that it is unnecessary to describe other than the construction, relationship and coaction of the parts which serve to provide the combination structure.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, it

is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a combination vault and casket, a substantially rectangular base frame, the upper edge portions of said frame being provided with an integral horizontal inturned flange, said flange constituting an endless ledge for a complemental vault, the inner perimeter edge portions of said flange being concaved to provide seating surfaces a for a casket, and a casket including a body and lid, said body embodying a fiat bottom and upstanding vertical walls attached to and rising from said bottom, said bottom and vertical walls, at their junctural portions, being rounded and the corner portions formed by said walls being likewise rounded to provide convexed seating surfaces seated firmly on the concaved seating surfaces.

2. The structure specified in claim 1, together with a dome-like vault enclosing said casket and including vertical walls forming a rim, the lower edges of the rim-walls being seated on and secured to said ledge.

IRA V. WESTENHAVER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

, UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,055,825 Snyder Mar. 11, 1913 1,473,534 Albrecht Nov. 6, 1923 2,247,617 Metz July 1, 1941 

